All things Jupiter?

Best tip I can give is to head to any retail store and buy one of the $15ish dollar folding chairs before you set foot in the park.  Then leave in the trunk of your rental car, dump in a trash can or find someone to give it to on your way out of town.

There is little to no bleacher space on any of the fields.  Trust me, it'll be the best money you spend while there.

Second best tip is to have your head on a swivel when walking between fields and hug the edges of the walkways.  There will be a ton of golf carts shooting all over the place and it's very easy to become roadkill if you're not paying attention.

Final tip is to bring a hat and make sure you bring or buy (when you're getting your chair) some sunscreen.  Shade is less available than bleachers at the fields.

You're in for a great time.  Was fortunate enough to make three trips with my son and I'll miss it this year.  Have been having Jupiter withdrawal it as soon as the calendar hit October.  Have a blast.

Same boat except 2019 uncommitted.  Looking forward to info.

Look at the schedule, look at the teams on adjacent fields. From the tournament website, look up ranked players. You can sort by team. Watch them play. You could see the next Mike Trout. Or as we like to say in Houston, the next Jose Altuve. 

Good walking shoes! Take pics! Scouts will be in swarms! Relax & have fun! Martinis are good for the nerves! Take him to the beach. People do drive crazy, so be careful

We had a great time at Jupiter.  Very good advice from everyone so far.  The one thing I would add is to keep your ears open as well as your eyes.  You will hear a lot of things from a lot of people.  Important people too.   Back in 2015, I listened to a very interesting conversation between a top 25 pitching coach and Mid Major head coach.   If you don't think coaches talk about players\recruits you are wrong.  This conversation was about a player with a me first attitude and the PC wasn't shy about telling  the HC why he stopped recruiting the kid.  Lots of interesting conversations between the scouts too.

It's a great tournament - definitely the one I look back on with the best memories.  My son went twice, it's a great experience, enjoy it.

So, what do you do if it rains? Just seeing a pretty iffy forecast down there.

It rains every day its south Florida, no biggie, it will not rain out those fields.  Maybe for a few minutes, and you might be glad it did rain. 

Jupiter, this is my 6th trip... and my last.  It's all fun... We have learned something from each trip.  This is 2018's 3rd third trip.  He has been lucky , his team has been  in the final game the last two years. 

I expect this year to be really special for him.  

No matter if your team does well or not, the players will have a blast.  bird dog scouts to GM's.... plus a ton of colleges as well.   PG Nationals,  WWBA , ECP and AC are great, but for me Jupiter is the most fun....

 If your son' throws Thursday,  he may throw again depending on how far your team gets in the tourney... if you run rule a team on Thursday, the coach will likely use him again. there are pitching rules on the tournament web page.

It's actually supposed to be nice but you might get a shower in the afternoon, or as been happening,  early morning showers.

You can also expect it to be hot and humid. He won't be used to this, so have him starto hydrating now.

Don't miss the beach!!!!! Where are you staying?

Also, your son should be with his team when they play.

I will be honest, I am not in favor of teams picking up players to "fill in". Make sure he gets time on the mound when there aren't empty bleachers. 

TPM posted:

Also, your son should be with his team when they play.

I will be honest, I am not in favor of teams picking up players to "fill in". Make sure he gets time on the mound when there aren't empty bleachers. 

Staying in West Palm Beach, near the airport and about 15 minutes (according to mapquest) from the field. I'm hoping not to rent a car and rely on Uber and hotel shuttle, and am a little concerned that will overly limit our getting around.

I'll talk to him about the hydrating thing. I worry about that here in Iowa.

We are going down Wednesday and will be there through the weekend, heading home very early Monday just because of the volume of school he already has missed, so we'll see how that works.

From what I can tell, this team is based on a few kids (six maybe) who played for a specific organization and then the rest are all add ons. We have kids from multiple states, many of whom just met at a recent tournament. So I'm not sure who's an add on and who isn't. I'm really not positive how many kids are on the team.

Feeling like this is probably something we should have done before, but we're going to go with it and have fun and enjoy the experience, even if it comes with some empty bleachers (although I hope it doesn't).

I only live 40 minutes away. I have family coming in for the weekend or I would have gone up for a day. 

Yes, enjoy the experience.

Excited about trip....washed the car tonight!  A little concerned about being a little fish in a big ocean.  Noticed that every team we play is almost 100% committed. So I’m beginning to second guess if a 6’3” uncommitted ,180lb 2019 RHP only throwing 88 will garner any attention? Starting to think we maybe should have done ft Myers last weekend instead.  I’m determined to stay positive and have fun but realize that the dodgers scout on the golf cart will be bored watching a skinny kid throw upper 80s.  But as I’ve learned on this site......the guy on the golf cart might have a friend at a local D2 who needs a pitcher!  Will be a fun trip for me and son.  It’s a small world.

stayfocused posted:

Excited about trip....washed the car tonight!  A little concerned about being a little fish in a big ocean.  Noticed that every team we play is almost 100% committed. So I’m beginning to second guess if a 6’3” uncommitted ,180lb 2019 RHP only throwing 88 will garner any attention? Starting to think we maybe should have done ft Myers last weekend instead.  I’m determined to stay positive and have fun but realize that the dodgers scout on the golf cart will be bored watching a skinny kid throw upper 80s.  But as I’ve learned on this site......the guy on the golf cart might have a friend at a local D2 who needs a pitcher!  Will be a fun trip for me and son.  It’s a small world.

Stay focused.

stayfocused posted:

Excited about trip....washed the car tonight!  A little concerned about being a little fish in a big ocean.  Noticed that every team we play is almost 100% committed. So I’m beginning to second guess if a 6’3” uncommitted ,180lb 2019 RHP only throwing 88 will garner any attention? Starting to think we maybe should have done ft Myers last weekend instead.  I’m determined to stay positive and have fun but realize that the dodgers scout on the golf cart will be bored watching a skinny kid throw upper 80s.  But as I’ve learned on this site......the guy on the golf cart might have a friend at a local D2 who needs a pitcher!  Will be a fun trip for me and son.  It’s a small world.

6'3" jr at 88?  My understanding is hundreds of schools there. You chose correctly. 

stayfocused posted:

Excited about trip....washed the car tonight!  A little concerned about being a little fish in a big ocean.  Noticed that every team we play is almost 100% committed. So I’m beginning to second guess if a 6’3” uncommitted ,180lb 2019 RHP only throwing 88 will garner any attention? Starting to think we maybe should have done ft Myers last weekend instead.  I’m determined to stay positive and have fun but realize that the dodgers scout on the golf cart will be bored watching a skinny kid throw upper 80s.  But as I’ve learned on this site......the guy on the golf cart might have a friend at a local D2 who needs a pitcher!  Will be a fun trip for me and son.  It’s a small world.

I'm with you about the little fish in a big ocean. There's a lot of people on the site who talk about parents who believe their kids are better than they are. I think there's a few of us who error the other side. Must have confidence!!!

Thanks TPM and Go....need a little uplift considering how much work I need to be “sick” for.  Iowamom i try and stay grounded... and tend to go the other way on what I see.  I’ve told my friends that a RHP throwing upper 80s are a dime a dozen...and that is 100% true....cause I’ve seen them in Atlanta. So grades, social skills, flexibility with coaches, etc... are what we are focusing on. I’ll let you all know how this all pans out.

I think your 6'3 bean pole tbrowing 88 will just fine with many D1 programs

Get Outlook for Android<https://aka.ms/ghei36>

There will be MLB scouts at every game. So far pre-registration shows an average of close to 21 scouts from each organization.  There are only 12 games going on at the same time, sometimes less, they're not going to miss anyone.  Obviously colleges only send one or two coaches, so it is harder for them to see everything.  But when someone is doing well, the word travels fast.  We have had games that started with 30 or less scouts and by the time the game was over there were well over a hundred.

Two things for those that have never been to the event.  Be ready to walk a lot it can be a long ways from the blue quad to the red quad.  That is why the scouts rent all the golf carts that you will be seeing.  This is a MLB Spring Training site, there is not a lot of seating.  Be extra careful and alert for balls flying around,

Make sure to show up early for the game you want to see. If you or someone with you has any problem walking a long distance tell the ladies at the gate.  They will get you a ride on a golf cart.

History tells us there will be several future MLB players playing in Jupiter this week.  Maybe someone on HSBBW son will be one of them. That would be cool.  No matter what, if you have never been there, you are about to see something very unusual.  Nowhere on earth will you ever see as many MLB scouts and college coaches in one place at the same time.

Just updated the weather forecast. 80% chance of thunderstorms every day...except for the days where it's 90%.

6"3 180 at 88,   its not too hard to envision 6"3 210 throwing 94.    Thats the scouts job to project.  I think you should be fine.  

Iowamom, I'd consider renting a car.  The weather is always iffy in Florida and you may need to camp out in your car for a bit if there is lightning in the area.  There aren't many places that are walkable from the fields and not really any shelter at the fields themselves except the bathrooms, which are not exactly places you want to visit unless necessary.  

Jupiter is awesome.  A really cool experience for any player, whether the golf carts are lined up five deep for them, or not.   

nothingtodust posted:

Iowamom, I'd consider renting a car.  The weather is always iffy in Florida and you may need to camp out in your car for a bit if there is lightning in the area.  There aren't many places that are walkable from the fields and not really any shelter at the fields themselves except the bathrooms, which are not exactly places you want to visit unless necessary.  

Jupiter is awesome.  A really cool experience for any player, whether the golf carts are lined up five deep for them, or not.   

I have some issues with driving (panic attacks on bridges or in heavy traffic in unfamiliar areas) that make me wary of renting a car. So if you see a drenched mom and her 6'3" son hanging out in a lightning storm, please offer shelter.

Leaving tomorrow after the RHP gets in a school day. Dread the drive (8-9hours) but looking forward to getting there. Found out just today when he is pitching....Thursday against a team of D1 commits, will be a fun trip!  Not sure yet if coach is going to leave pitch count low so that he can use him Sunday or not.  I guess I’ll know after Thursday.  

stayfocused posted:

Leaving tomorrow after the RHP gets in a school day. Dread the drive (8-9hours) but looking forward to getting there. Found out just today when he is pitching....Thursday against a team of D1 commits, will be a fun trip!  Not sure yet if coach is going to leave pitch count low so that he can use him Sunday or not.  I guess I’ll know after Thursday.  

Dang it, you all making me jealous as son and I can’t make it this year. Good luck to all going!

Iowa peeps, son plays against Iowa Select in about 20 min. Son is sched to pitch second if game is reasonably close. #17

Go44dad posted:

Iowa peeps, son plays against Iowa Select in about 20 min. Son is sched to pitch second if game is reasonably close. #17

Good luck!!!

Pardon my ignorance, please...but how does one get to be in this event?

-42

Go44dad posted:

Iowa peeps, son plays against Iowa Select in about 20 min. Son is sched to pitch second if game is reasonably close. #17

Sorry we missed you guys. Hope it went well!

4T2 posted:

Pardon my ignorance, please...but how does one get to be in this event?

-42

Play on a team that is either grand fathered in or one that qualifies or play on a PH sponsored team. Best to be a rising junior or senior or a young stud looking for an early committment.

Well it lived up to what everybody has shared. I’ve never seen so many golf carts! 2019 RHP started game. Did ok, not great.... Bsfore I left my little village and drove 9 hours I told myself that no matter what happens we are going to have fun, and we are doing that.  My advice to anyone with younger players....enjoy it and DO NOT analyze every little thing after the game is over!  My first comment to son today when he was done was “where do you want to go eat and lets go to the beach.”

stayfocused posted:

Well it lived up to what everybody has shared. I’ve never seen so many golf carts! 2019 RHP started game. Did ok, not great.... Bsfore I left my little village and drove 9 hours I told myself that no matter what happens we are going to have fun, and we are doing that.  My advice to anyone with younger players....enjoy it and DO NOT analyze every little thing after the game is over!  My first comment to son today when he was done was “where do you want to go eat and lets go to the beach.”

What team is he on?

It is amazing. We got there REALLY early today and there was no one around, so it was quite a contrast when we left and were dodging golf carts and people every which way. Son pitched four innings, struck out three and gave up a run, but his team got the win. It's interesting to see these kids who sometimes have trouble remembering each other's names, since they just met, play together as a team. And super fun getting to know the parents and others in the stands.

He plays for Homeplate Chilidogs out of Peach Tree city GA......we don’t live there.  Beat Team Indiana in exhibition game but lost in first official game. 

I'm wondering if PG ever considered running the WWBA out of the spring training facilities in Arizona, rather than Florida? On balance slightly less convenient (though with lots more flights into Phoenix than into West Palm --about 7X the annual passenger traffic), but there would be no rain delays whatsoever, and the weather is perfect for baseball this time of year (average in Phoenix for this date is high of 87, low of 63). The whole thing would run like clockwork. For scouts it would be easier, too, since no delays means there would be complete certainty about which teams are playing when. 

2019Dad posted:

I'm wondering if PG ever considered running the WWBA out of the spring training facilities in Arizona, rather than Florida? On balance slightly less convenient (though with lots more flights into Phoenix than into West Palm --about 7X the annual passenger traffic), but there would be no rain delays whatsoever, and the weather is perfect for baseball this time of year (average in Phoenix for this date is high of 87, low of 63). The whole thing would run like clockwork. For scouts it would be easier, too, since no delays means there would be complete certainty about which teams are playing when. 

Yes please!  Since PG has built such a nationwide reach with colleges and pro scouts, it would sure be nice to strike more of a balance with the west coast high school players.  There are only 9 teams west of Texas playing in Jupiter this week... that's a real shame and a lot of great teams and players don't get the opportunity to participate.  There's only so much travel money in many families budgets.  Plus, flying to FL from the west coast requires 2 extra days off school in October which is an additional hardship.  It would be good if PG made efforts to balance things out a bit.

Arizona Fall Classic is going on this time of year and it has a pretty good draw as well.  Many of the top programs in the west are there along with I think a few hundred schools and all MLB clubs, depending on the event.

Go44...So tell us how #17 did!!! 

Iowamom23 posted:

It is amazing. We got there REALLY early today and there was no one around, so it was quite a contrast when we left and were dodging golf carts and people every which way. Son pitched four innings, struck out three and gave up a run, but his team got the win. It's interesting to see these kids who sometimes have trouble remembering each other's names, since they just met, play together as a team. And super fun getting to know the parents and others in the stands.

Way to go!!!!

Lucky you, as I heard it rained all day.